About the Recipe
The title of this dish comes from the meatballs surrounded by the cabbage leaves being said to resemble the head of a lion. while that might stretch the imagination, it is no exaggeration to say that this is a tasty and nourishing dish. I simplify the preparation by boiling the pork balls in the broth rather than braising them or roasting them first.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic
5mm slice ginger
2 spring onions
250g minced pork
1.5 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp chinese cooking wine*
2 tsp plain flour
1 tsp sesame oil
4 chinese leaves
2 shiitake mushrooms
1 bundle of vermiccilli
a little pepper
1/2 tsp salt**
for the broth;
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp vegetable bouillion or chinese stock
900ml water
*you can use Japanese cooking sake or a dry white wine as a substitute
**optional according to your taste
Preparation
mince the ginger & garlic
finely chop the spring onions
combine the minced pork, ginger, garlic, spring onion, flour, cooking wine, sesame oil & soy sauce and mix well
roll 1 heaped dessert spoon of the mixture into a meat ball. repeat untill the mixture is all used (this should make 10-12 balls)
remove the ends of the shiitake mushrooms and slice
cut the chinese leaves into bite sized pieces
pour the water and stock powder into a pan, bring to the boil and cook the meatballs for 2 mins
add the shiitake & chinese leaves to the pan and cook for 2 mins
next, add the pepper & soy sauce and salt to taste
add the vermiccilli to the pan and cook for a further 2 mins
your lion's headt meatballs are ready to serve with bowls of freshly steamed rice